Thursday, June 3: Apples to apples, Middle East history lesson

June 2, 2011 4:25 pmUpdated: June 2, 2011 7:54 pm

Apples to apples

I’m writing regarding the Friday, May 27, front page story, “Powerful tool or waste of money?” Granted, a computer is a powerful tool, but maybe money could be better spent elsewhere, such as maybe learning how to compare apples to apples.

Jeff Mao, learning technology policy director for the Maine Department of Education, is quoted as saying, “For $242 a year, look at what we’re doing for our students. By comparison, we spent about $90 million on diesel fuel every year to transport students.”

That’s what you call comparing apples to oranges; a highly educated education administrator should know better. As for the students, a healthy walk to the computer labs would suffice instead of all of the social networking they do at the taxpayers’ expense. And by the way, why can’t the public buy those $242 apples, eh, Mr. Jobs? Get ’em hooked on apples.

Jeffrey Rice

Glenburn

•••

Middle East history lesson

President Obama must understand that most people today do not remember the actual history of the Middle East conflict. The truth is that the Arabs, not Israel, created the Palestinian refugee situation.

In 1948, Israel asked all Arabs to stay; some did, but most left. The Arab nations refused to allow these refugees in their own country. Therefore, the Arabs who left Israel camped by the borders. Thus, the Palestinian refugee problem was created.

At the same time, the Arabs expelled all Jews from their lands. The Arab plan has been from the beginning to destroy Israel, and still is today. Also remember, a thousand years before Mohammad was born, King David ruled Israel from Jerusalem.

Steven Roth

Swans Island

•••

Absolute corruption

We live in an age where the Sheriff of Nottingham has a computer, and Robin Hood and His Merry Men have been sent to therapy for an “Attitude-Adjustment.”

It does not take a rocket scientist to see that the United States has drifted enormously away from her Constitutional moorings toward shipwreck on the rocks of the New World Order: the United Nations, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Trilateral Commission, and the Federal Reserve (owned by foreign bankers). All are “the traitors within” that Cicero said was the only way a great state could be destroyed. Has the United States been captured from within — without a shot being fired — just as Kruschev predicted?

If Illuminati secret societies and their global bankers now control the world, they have nonetheless given us one ray of hope. According to Dr. Henry Makow in his book “Illuminati 2,” the Illuminati’s “Protocols of the Elders of Zion” state that they cannot take over the world completely so long as there is any knowledge of God, faith, patriotism or of the moral order in the world. This explains why the Bible, upon which this nation’s freedoms were built, is under such fierce assault everywhere.

I am happy to see so much resistance to the socialism of Obama’s presidency and his “health care reform” for it means we may have learned the lessons of Nazism, Fascism and Communism. Socialism means absolute power in the hands of the state, and “absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Robert Bruce Acheson

Dixfield

•••

Well done

Awesome! Totally awesome! I can’t think of enough superlatives to describe the marvelous event the Hampden Academy and Reeds Brook School young people — led and inspired by their dedicated teacher, David Haggan — put on to honor those who have served our country.

Each person attending was greeted warmly at the door of the patriotically and beautifully decorated gym and seated at round tables. Young people were everywhere — smiling, greeting, interacting with their guests, serving a delicious lunch — and later taking part in a marvelous program recognizing and honoring all veterans who have served our country throughout the history of the nation.

If these young people are an example of those who will take the reins and lead our great country, then the United States is in excellent shape!

Thanks to all who had a part in arranging and putting on this fabulous event!

Anita S. Leonard

Old Town

•••

Deceptive Camden questions

I don’t know if I will be able to get to the Camden town meeting Wednesday, June 15, and I can’t vote absentee on a floor vote, but I hope other people will get there. Town meetings haven’t been well attended in recent years.

At the meeting, we are expected to vote on two articles, 6-A and 6-B, that relate to the disposal of the town’s tannery property which abuts the Megunticook Riverwalk. I will not be able to vote against these articles, which are designed in a misleading way, to do away with the current requirement for a public hearing and a secret ballot vote to permit the sale (or rather, gift) of this property.

The wording of these articles is confusing and seemingly innocent. There must be discussion and clarification of the meaning and effects of these articles when they come up at the meeting. I may be remiss, but I hope others will not be. We should maintain our right to have a say about this choice in-town location, ideal for people to live, perhaps work and shop, and to enjoy the flowing river, right in the walkable town of Camden.

Please go, and vote no on both articles.

Beedy Parker

Camden

•••

Speech help available

I would like to comment on an article in the BDN’s health news section. “Aid for stutterers” tells how the book “Self-Therapy for the Stutterer” is available in local libraries. The book is put out by the Stuttering Foundation, a nonprofit organization. Since the BDN invoked the name of the Stuttering Foundation, my wife and I want to take it one step further.

The Stuttering Foundation (www.stutteringhelp.org) has many free resources available on its website. One brochure tells in detail how every child in the U.S. has the right to free speech therapy. “Special Education Law and Children Who Stutter” explains to parents this right to free speech therapy that has been mandated by federal law for more than 35 years. The free therapy, which can begin in preschool and continue throughout high school, extends to all speech problems, as is explained in the brochure.

We just thought that parents out there who have a child with any type of speech problem should know that their child has a guaranteed right to free speech therapy. This brochure provides all the details.